Wreck-It Ralph: Comparing iTunes, Vudu and Blu-ray  

Popping colors, spectacular computer animation, and constant action are but a few of Wreck-It Ralph's charms. The new Disney animated film is a 3D spectacular that was recently released on Blu-ray as well as through online-distribution channels like iTunes and Vudu. Wreck-It Ralph is the very definition of eye candy, and it also sounds great with a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack on Blu-ray.


Photographic comparison of iTunes, Vudu and Blu-ray formats

I thought Wreck-It Ralph would be a relatively straightforward quality comparison between iTunes HD, Vudu HDX, and Blu-ray. However, it turned out to be a bit more complex, because the quality of the various online versions varied wildly, much more so than I have encountered in previous comparisons.

When it comes to sound, there is a recurring theme with online distribution vs. Blu-ray: The sound quality of Blu-ray is consistently better than the online formats. In the past, I have found that Vudu HDX 7.1 audio sounds marginally better than iTunes 5.1 audio, and with Wreck it Ralph, the audio-quality difference between iTunes and Vudu was minor. I recommend Vudu HDX because it reproduced all 7.1 channels of the original soundtrack.

Visually, the results of my comparisons varied wildly and in unexpected ways. On Blu-ray, the movie looked essentially perfect, but so did Vudu HDX from a PS3. Vudu HD 720p on a PC looked better than iTunes 1080p. Finally, iTunes 720p looked inferior to all the other formats. The image-quality gap between Blu-ray and iTunes is significant and involves noticeable losses in color, tone, and detail.

Comparing Blu-ray to Vudu, I found that colors and tonality were properly preserved, but Vudu HD did not retain as much detail as Vudu HDX. Even so, Vudu HD exceeded both iTunes 720p and 1080p in overall quality. In the frame-comparison process, I discovered that the Vudu HD version skipped a number of frames; one frame I wanted to compare existed in all the versions except Vudu HD.

For some reason, Vudu on the PC is restricted to 720p HD, a decision that baffles me, since this is the first time I have seen that distinction. Using Vudu HDX on a PS3, I saw a movie that truly looked "as good as Blu-ray." There is no reason Apple could not have provided a similar-quality product.

As always, the visual examples below speak for themselves. However, in order to compare PS3 Vudu playback with Blu-ray, I had to use a digital camera. It is not as precise or elegant as using direct screen capture on a PC. If you wish, take these photography-based comparisons with a grain of salt or ignore them completely.


Screen grab of Blu-ray on the left, photograph of Blu-ray on the right. The photo is not pretty, but it is still a useful tool for gauging resolution.

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I'll start with a photograph-based macro comparison. The magnification is similar to watching a movie on a 120" screen from 40" away. That's some serious pixel peeping, the fine art of scrutinizing individual pixels. Vudu HDX just about matches Blu-ray quality, pixel for pixel. iTunes HD 1080p is noticeably blurry, and iTunes HD 720p is even less sharp.


In this screen-grab comparison, Vudu is represented by its 720p "HD" format, which looks about as sharp and detailed as the iTunes 1080p version. Sadly, Wreck-It Ralph was only available in Vudu HD 720p on the PC, which is where I obtain my frame grabs. As a rule, Vudu HDX 1080p is considerably sharper than Vudu HD 720p, and Wreck-It Ralph is no exception.


This comparison is photo-based; Vudu HDX keeps up with Blu-ray while both iTunes version suffer considerable loss of detail. Pay close attention to the walking figure—in the iTunes versions, they have no legs.


Comparing Blu-ray to iTunes 1080p using frame grabs reveals the same loss of detail that was apparent in the previous, photo-based example.


My favorite example from Wreck-It Ralph: The first moment Vanellope "glitches," her character is momentarily replaced by a Chuck Close-like abstraction. It's a perfect image for comparing resolution, and Vudu HDX does not disappoint, rendering essentially the same pattern as Blu-ray, while iTunes loses considerable amounts of contrast, sharpness, and detail in both versions. Here is a full screen comparison: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12949


This photo-based comparison shows why Blu-ray is a superior medium for rendering fast action, thanks to a much higher bitrate than the online-delivery versions. During the final race, the animation in Wreck-It Ralph is incredibly fast, causing Vudu HDX to perform worse than iTunes, losing almost all the detail in the textures. The iTunes versions are only marginally better at preserving these details. Blu-ray totally outclasses the online-delivery formats in this specific example.


Looking at the screen grabs from the same frame, Blu-ray's superior detail rendering during fast action really shines.


In some movies, I have seen examples of iTunes 720p that looked better than iTunes 1080p. That's not the case for Wreck-It Ralph. The full frames can be compared using a mouse-over action on screenshotcomparison.com -http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12853


Using the same frame to compare Blu-ray and iTunes 1080p, it's clear that Blu-ray has superior resolution, sharpness, and color saturation, evident even in an easy-to-render scene like this. Here is the full-frame comparison: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12856


Looking at the photo-based comparison, it's clear so long as Vudu HDX does not have to work too hard rendering fast action, it can keep up with Blu-ray better than either iTunes HD version.


Looking at individual pixels confirms what the previous examples show, Vudu HDX is just about matching Blu-ray pixel-for-pixel, iTunes HD 1080p loses a little bit of sharpness and detail and the 720p version loses a fair bit more.


This comparison is photo-based but does not involve pixel peeping. It's hard to see any difference in sharpness between the three 1080p versions when "zoomed out" in this manner, while iTunes 720p definitely looks blurry.


The difference between iTunes HD 720p and Blu-ray is very easy to see when they are compared directly: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12960
Edited by imagic - 3/13/13 at 8:24am

When things are moving fast in the final race, there's no way to see those details clearly. It's only a couple seconds of footage where Vudu HDX fails to preserve detail, not a big deal. I feel that Vudu's overall good performance vs. iTunes is partly due to the fact it's computer animated and Vudu's algorithms like a nice clean image to work with.

The first time I watched Wreck-It Ralph, it was the iTunes 1080p version. I enjoyed the film thoroughly and didn't think twice about what I saw (or heard, quite frankly). Without another point of reference and some scrutiny, all of the 1080p version were acceptable. The iTunes 720 p version was definitely blurry enough to be immediately noticeable from 6-7 feet away on a 55" screen. However if you follow the links to screenshotcomparison.com, It's easy to see how the Blu-ray version outclasses the iTunes 1080 version at normal magnification and viewing distances.

I'll add a few more examples later today, I happen to be experiencing a rush of photography jobs at the moment, which is my work so I gotta go do later it. Here's one, iTunes 1080p vs. Blu-ray: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12949

The difference between iTunes HD 720p and Blu-ray is the most dramatic: http://screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/12960


Edited by imagic - 3/13/13 at 8:23am

I think more nuanced conclusions will require additional comparisons; the gist is that is that if you are going to choose an online version, Vudu HDX is the best choice. The national average internet download speed is somewhere between 7 and 10 Mbps.
Edited by imagic - 3/14/13 at 3:55pm

If your internet is inadequate, don't use online distribution or stick with downloads and have a bit of patience. The median in your example is 3 BTW. I've had Comcast for 15 years and it always runs at the rated speed or within 10-15% of maximum. Sometimes it exceeds the tier's advertised maximum. This is at three different addresses, in two different states, for 15 years. Same is true for other family member's whose broadband I have tested

Since more people live in urban areas than not, perhaps it is a few rural 56K connections that are bringing down the national average. Your argument about median vs. average internet speed needs some supporting evidence. It's likely that national average and median internet speeds are pretty close to each other.
Edited by imagic - 3/13/13 at 1:27pm

Both services offer a download option. With iTunes you need a device with sufficient built-in storage, ideally a Mac or PC running iTunes. For Vudu, downloads to PC are not so great, only 2-channel sound and for some movies, only 720p is available. On a Sony PS3, and probably some other devices with hard drives, you can download Vudu HDX. The key is the device has to suppor the Vudu app and have built-in storage. Cost of ownership is typically $15.00-20.00. It's well worth mentioning, many Blu-ray packages come with "digital copies" via Ultraviolet (which redeems through Vudu) and iTunes. Many movies feature both formats and since the Blu-ray is already paid for, the digital copies are just a bonus. iTunes might not have the ultimate quality, but the fact their product works properly on a PC - 1080p and 5.1 surround - means I use it as often and Vudu.

Until you Google up a national median internet speed for the United States, I'll skip your theory that it's all a conspiracy to stick people with a 2mpbs connection, lower than the world average. It's your job to back up your claims. There are a gazillion articles about the national average internet speed. You claim the country as a whole gets 1/3 that speed, typically. That's an amazing claim, so I'm counting on you to do the Googling.

Here is an article that is already a year old! http://gigaom.com/2012/01/26/the-continued-decline-of-dsl/ - DSL is outta here.
Edited by imagic - 3/14/13 at 6:03am